Amazon cancels Czech distribution plan

US retail giant Amazon says it has abandoned plans to build a distribution centre in the Czech Republic's second largest city after it was rejected by local authorities.

Brno councillors three times rejected the plan, which would have created up to 2,000 jobs, arguing the land Amazon wanted to build on was not zoned for such projects.

Tim Collins, who is in charge of Amazon's European operations, said in a statement on Wednesday that Amazon respects this decision and will look to open its centre in another Eastern European country. No details were given.

Czech Finance Minister Andrej Babis called Brno's rejection "absurd".

Collins says Amazon's existing plan to build a similar centre near Prague's international airport has not been affected by the failure of the Brno project.